One type of distribution of content items popular on the Internet is the real-time distribution of audio streams to listeners. As used here, real-time refers to a situation where the audio stream is presented without substantial delay to the listeners as the audio stream is being produced (e.g., by a publisher). This may otherwise be referred to as a live content stream, or a live audio stream. However, compared to the presentation of live content using traditional means, such as via a radio broadcast, the presentation of a live audio stream over the Internet presents substantial challenges with regards to modification of the live audio stream. While in a traditional broadcast, such as a live broadcast of a sporting event, the modification of the broadcast stream (e.g., via insertion or replacement with other content) does not affect the content of the stream as heard (i.e., consumed) by the listeners, as every listener receives the same audio stream.
However, in the case of a live content stream broadcast over the Internet, an opportunity arises to provide additional interactivity and richer content, resulting in the ability to customize a content stream for individuals. This may be achieved by inserting customized content within certain content replacement break points specified within a live audio broadcast (e.g., during a timeout in a broadcast of a sports event). However, the insertion or replacement of content in a live content stream, especially when the duration of the content break may vary and is not known, may cause substantial issues with delay and differences in this delay between different listeners. This may not be desirable in many live audio streams and cause a decrease in the number of listeners of the broadcast.
For example, the live audio stream may be a broadcast of a sporting event, and different listeners receive different customized content inserted within content breaks of varying durations. This may cause the live audio stream to be presented to each listener differently. These differences may cause some listeners to hear about a significant event in the broadcast (e.g., a goal) after other listeners. Such issues may cause a listener to discontinue listening to the live audio stream, decreasing listenership for the content provider providing the live audio stream.
Thus, what was lacking, inter alia, was an ability for presenting customized live audio streams to users with content presented at substantially similar timeframes.